I'm pleased and honoured, to have been both proposed and seconded as a director, for next sessions term in the Old Glasgow Club, last Thursday in the City Chambers in George Square. Gavin, its newest President, and his wife Joyce, have been out with us before on Walking Glasgow, and share a similar interest in promoting our city and its rich heritage, and communicating this to residents and visitors alike.
Early meetings were conducted in the Garrick Temperance Hotel, once a noted establishment in Stockwell Street but, nowadays, take place every month at the Renfield Centre, 260 Bath St. Apart from topical conversations, there are regular speakers on all aspects from Glasgow's motorway system, Victorian Glw, Clydebank Blitz,to older parts of the city like Grahamston, Carmunock, Govan, Partick, Riutherglen etc. Added to this each month is a local speaker discussing how ‘down their way’ their neighbourhood has evolved over the years.
With at least 10 such meetings/events a year, membership costs only £30 for next years 2024-25 session,beginning again in September. This will be their 125th year in existence, and plans are already being discussed for things like a civic reception,to take place in the beautiful City Chambers.
To assist with membership costs, next year’s fee is rising by £5, but I would like to freeze that price and offer any of you willing to join us, Walking Glasgow’s meeting of that extra payment through our own funding.
Application forms will be advertised in due course, but I hope that you may consider coming along and joining in the appreciation of what we have, rather than a seemingly endless tirade of people quick to diss the city. Major plans are happening now, so please consider being a part of the pulse that beats in our greatest Scottish city. Thanks, Kevin.
Please find,below,
A Short History of The Old Glasgow Club
The Old Glasgow Club is a historical club that was set up in the city in 1900 to allow members to discuss and disseminate information on the city and its history - visit the Old Glasgow Club's website.
It was formed at the instigation of retired shipbroker William Liddell (1827-1908).
The first meeting of the club took place on 17th December, 1900 in the Atheneum, Glasgow. The first meeting of the Old Glasgow Club was held Monday 17th December 1900 at 8 o'clock in the Atheneum, St George's Place, Glasgow.
It followed an advertisement having been placed in The Evening Citizen and Glasgow Herald asking for people to form a society to discuss and share information about the history of Glasgow. The Constitution, approved in January 1901 stated that the object of the Cube was ‘to form a centre of Glasgow gentlemen for the purpose of hearing papers, reminiscences and notes on Old Glasgow Life, and to record these for permanent preservation’.
" It was a place where they could meet for discussions on history, as well as organise social and "smoker" evenings. Although women could attend formal outings to places such as the Isle of Bute, which were called "social intercourse" events, they were barred from full club membership.
But all that was to change on January 10, 1908, when Miss Dreda Boyd, believed to have been an active member of the suffragette movement, was introduced to the club by her uncle, Sir John Stirling Maxwell, owner of Pollok House, female members then being admitted. Probably, their most notable member was none other than John Keppie, of famed Glaswegian architects Honeyman & Keppie, who would employ a young Chas Rennie Mackintiosh
By the end of May 1901 the membership had reached forty.
From its beginning, part of the Club’s purpose was to collect books and papers relative to Glasgow’s past and so a library came into being, with a Librarian/Custodier being elected in 1903 to keep a record of them. By 1914, the library was transferred to the Baillies Library, Blythswood Square. Many artefacts were donated by the club to the City of Glasgow. They form the nucleus of the collections of Glasgow Museums relating to the city of Glasgow.
A publication was produced for the 75th anniversary of the Club in 1975 and a Centenary Handbook in 2000. The Club has lobbied to preserve many old Glasgow sites and helped to rescue both the Tolbooth Tower and Provand’s Lordship from demolition. The current archives list was compiled in October 2019 by Mrs Carol Parry, Trades House Honorary Librarian. The OGC library was transferred to the Trades House of Glasgow in 1997 (for a full listing of the contents of the Trades House library see: https://www.tradeshouselibrary.orgÂ
The Club is always delighted to assist with research where it can. Many of our members have in depth specialist knowledge across a range of topics; a visit to the club is always worthwhile.Members have access to the club's library which is located in the Trades House Glasgow. To make an appointment to refer to the library please contact the Trades House on 0141 552 2418.
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